Bracelet catch



- ugQZ?, R93., H. J. LEICHNER MEAN BRACELET CATCH Filed Nov. 14, 1935 2 sheets-sheet 1 Aug. 27, w35.

H. J. LEICHNER BRAC ELET CATCH Filed NOV. 14, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 27, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ,I

, BRACELET CATCH Howard J'. Leichner, Urbana-11i., assigner, by direct and' mesne assignments, of one-third to' Lena Filson and two-thirdsl to K. L. Filson. both of Champaign, Ill. `Application November 14, 1933,- Serialv No. 697,975

2 claims, C1. 241-68 This invention relates to braceletsl and more particularl-y to improved catch for a bracelet so as tohold the bracelet in adjusted position `on the wrist or other member of the wearer..

An object of" this invention is to provide an improved type of bracelet catch for use with-watch bracelets or other vlink structureswhereby the catch can be readily released so as to remove the braceletV or'V link structure from the desired `member and the size of the braceletorl link structure can be varied' by the wearer without disconnecting any portion of the links, thereby permitting a finer adjustment of the linkl structure than is' possiblel where it is necessary to remove a number of links where the' bracelet is toolarge.

A further object of this invention is to provide aV sliding member in a bracelet catch structure which is held in adjusted. position relative to the catch when the catch is in folded or locked position. i The above and various other objects and advantages of thisA inventionv will inl part be. described and i-n part be understood` froni the fol lowing` detailed description of` the present pretei-red` embodiment, the same'A being illustrated in the a@companyingA drawings@ wherein Figure 1l is a detail side elevation of a device constructedV according to'. the preferred embodi- VAment of this invention.

Figure 2` isa front elevationf of the devcein 1 closed position.

FigureV 3 is a bottoml plan View of the device openk position'. i

Figure 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional View partly in detail:

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6--6 of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a sectional View taken on the line 1 1 of Figure 4.

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 2.

Figure 9 is a sectional View taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral I0 designates generally a channeled member in the form of an elongated plate II provided on opposite sides thereof with a pair of U-shaped channeled members I2.

A swingable link, generally designated as I4, is connected to the channeled member I0 by means of a connecting link I5. This connecting link i5 is swingably connected at oneI end to one end of theY channeled member' I0, the channeled member |10 having hinged barrels I-*3'onop'- posite sides of the longitudinalL opening IS between theA confronting Usha'ped channel members I2. The connecting link i5 issubstantially U-shapedl in transverse section andl is preferably longitudinally curved so as to conform substantially tothe curvature of the link structure when it is mounted on' the desired part;

In the same manner, the link or bar ift is preferably U-shaped in transverser section and the hinged barrel I'I at one end.` of the link or' bar I4 is constructed' for engagement with the barrel members I3 and with the barrel structure I8` carned by onev end of the link I5 when the link I-4 is in closed or folded position. This barrel l?? is offset forwardly so that it will frictionally en'- -gage against the outer `end of the channel member Il), as described. The opposite end or" the link I5 is connected, as at I'iLto` the link I4' at a point intermediate the ends of this link i4. The link I5 is adapted to telescope intothe link |54 when in folded position, and the two` links I-4 andy I5 are adapted to engage in` the channel or space IZE. The parallel legs 2tA of the bar or link member Id are provided with aout outportion ZI at the end of the link I4 opposite from the barrel Ii, the purpose for which will be hereinafter described.

These parallel legs 2D are also provided with .detents 22 adjacent the cut out end portionV 2l,

which detents are adapted' to engage the confronting edges of the U-shaped members I-2 so as to lock one end of the link I4 in folded position.` The opposite end of the link I4- islocked infolded position by the tension applied tothe hinge barrel I'I engaging-over the'barrel- I3` and the barrel I8.

In order'to provide a means whereby the catch including the channeled member I0 and the two links I4 and I5 kmay be adjusted as to length so that the bracelet or other link structure associated with this catch may be lengthened or shortened, as may be desired, and held in this adjusted position, I have provided a U-shaped slide member generally designated as 23, which is slidable relative to the channeled member I0. 'Ihis slide and locking member 23 comprises a pair of parallel leg members 24 connected together by means of a slotted connecting bar 25, the slot 26 of which is adapted to receive a link of a conventional bracelet structure. The legs 2li of the slide member 23 are adapted to be loosely received in the U-shaped members I2 on opposite sides of AII) the channel I6. Each leg 24 has on its inner or free end a lug 21 which is provided with a cam outer surface 28 and a straight inner surface 29.

A locking disk or roller is interposed between the cam portion 28 and the bight of the channel member l2, and this disk 3i) is adapted, upon movement longitudinally ofthe slide member 23, to force the lug 2l inwardly against the side of the link I4 when this link lll is in folded position. Preferably, the cam portion '28 of the lug 2'! is inwardly offset from the outer side of the lug 2l, so as to provide means for limiting the movement of the locking member Si) and Yprevent'the disengagement of this locking member 3G withv the cam member 28. The connecting bar 25, when the slidable adjusting member 23 is in its innermost position, is adapted to engage in the cut out portion 2l of the link i4, and when the opposite end of the link I is raised, the cut out portion 2l will engage against the connecting bar 25 and serve as a fulcrum for releasing the detents 22 from inside the channel members i2.

In the use and operation of the catch hereinbefore described, the barrel Il is adapted to be connected to one end of the bracelet or link structure and the slot 26 is adapted to receive the other end of the bracelet or link structure.

In order to increase the length of the bracelet or link structure, the catch including the channeled member Ill, the slide'ZBland the link members I4 and l5, is initially disposed with the link IM released from the channel member it), as shown Vin Figure l. Preferably, the slide member 23 is initially disposed in an extended position relative Vtolthe channeled link'member l and when the bracelet or link structure has been'clisposed about the desired part, the link lll and the link l5 are swung toward the channel member IS and the detents 22, together with the hinge barrel l?, will hold the catch in folded position. In this position, the parallel legs of the link member I4 con- ;front the straight side 29 ofthe lug 21 and movementoutwardlyr ofthe slide member 23 will be resisted by reason of the fact that the rollers or e disks 30 will be drawn toward the shallow portion of the cam 28 and thereby force the lugs 2l in- `wardly against the parallel sides of thelink I4.

' member and when it has been so adjusted, it will be locked in adjusted position. f

It will also be apparent, from the foregoing, that it will not be necessary to cut any links out of the bracelet as is the practice or to add extra links to the bracelet in order to Vary the size of the bracelet to make it iit on the desired member.

The end of each U-shaped member l2 opposite from the barrel i3 is provided with a stop lug 3| which engages against the outer end of the lug 21 when the slide 23 is moved outwardly to prevent withdrawal of the slide 23. The locking members 3i) may be constructed as rollers, disks or balls, and through the simple construction of the locking means for the slide or connecting link 23, the catch will not readily wear out or get out of order'easily, thereby making the catch exceedingly simple, practical and easily adjusted by the sellerV at the time of the purchase as the bracelet is being mounted on the wrist of the wearer, or it may be adjusted without the aid of tools by the purchaser at will.

Itis, of course, understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the details vof construction and design of the above specically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed iszl. A bracelet catch, comprising a plate member having an edge thereof overturned to form a longitudinally extending channel, means at one end of the plate member for attaching the mem- `ber to a link structure, a slide member engaging in said channel, means for attaching the slide member to anotherv portion of the bracelet strucl,

ture, a locking member loosely disposed in said channel, and a cam carried by the slide member and engaging the locking member to lock the slide member against movement in one direction, said locking member being movable lengthwise of the channel upon movement of said slide member.

2. A bracelet catch, comprising an elongated plate member, a pair of longitudinally extending -channels one on each side of the member, means for attaching one end of the member to a bracelet structure, a AU-shaped slide member having the legs thereof loosely disposed in said channels, said slide member having -means in the bight thereof for attachment to another endof the bracelet structure, a cam carried by each free leg of the slide member, and a rollerr disposed in `each channel and engaging the cam for locking the slide member against movement inone direction. f

HOWARD J. LEICHNER. 

